Sweden´s Jonas Bjorkman needed 145 minutes to post a dramatic overtime victory over fifth seed Marat Safin (picture) from Russia. Bjorkman, after wasting three match points in the second and saving one in the third, ultimately grabbed a tight 6-2, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (4) win. (picture: pmk)
After dominating the first set 6-2, Bjorkman cruised to another 5-4 lead when he squandered three match points to allow Safin back into the match. The Russian´s serve would hold, though, and he fired three great returns to gain his first break for a 6-5 lead. However, Bjorkman immediately returned the favour – just to find himself stumbling in the tie-break again. (picture: pmk)

In a hard-fought third set, there were no break points prior to the tenth game but Safin prevailed again. Bjorkman, down 6-5 and serving, then saved one match point before wrapping up the issue in the tiebreak, where he came back from a 3-1 deficit to clinch a 7-4 win. “It´s very frustrating to lose like this,” Safin said afterwards. “It was a lottery in the end and he made some great shots as well as the big points.”

“I´m no fan of grass and I´m not enjoying it,” he added. Bjorkman was “pleased to beat such a quality player in my first match on grass.”

In the day´s other action, second seed Rainer Schuttler stormed to an easy 6-3, 6-2 victory over Jan Hernych, while fourth seed Dutchman Martin Verkerk was sent packing following a 7-5, 7-5 defeat at the hands of Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. 2003 Gerry Weber Open finalist Nicolas Kiefer won the All-German meeting with budding Lars Burgsmueller in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

and this is what he said:
"You had a match point in the third set, nevertheless you lost the match. Why that?
I don’t know, it is how it is. The win was one point away, second service. I’m not satisfied with the return that followed. This result is really frustrating for me. I had still some problems with the blisters on my hand, but all in all it was ok. Until Wimbledon it will be completely healed.
You lost the match, but could you get a bit confidence after this tough fight?
No, not really, I’m not. With that kind of results it’s hard to get confident. I’m really not enjoying playing on grass, also not in Wimbledon.

Did you expect the strength of Björkman?
Yes, he beat me four times, showed great tennis. I’m obviously a really comfortable player for him. Today he hit a couple of good returns, he served well and he made a lot of big points with which I did not have any chance to play. Also the luck was on his side."

Did Marat usually play 2 warm up tournies before Wimbledon before not playing another tournament and practicing for Wimbledon isn't such a bad idea though, he's still gonna be practicing on grass, though he needs to fix his head

The reference to Marat not playing any more tournaments until Wimbledon was in the German version of the match report *on the Halle website*. I'd post the link but my computer is running so slowly it's taking several minutes to render a page

Marat.. really.. I'm seriously starting to hate you... The question comes to mind: To delete from my sig or not? This is the second year he does this.. he also couldn't/didn't/wouldn't come to Rotterdam this year.. Man, he's making this so hard for me